


More than Words

by bellafarella



Series: Tumblr Prompts [82]
Category: Shameless (US)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Different First Meeting, Alternate Universe - High School, Best Friends, Falling In Love, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Friendship/Love, Genius Ian, Love, Love Confessions, M/M, Mute Ian, Not Beta Read, Texting, True Love, Tumblr Ask Box Fic, Tumblr Prompt, or not... lol
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-05
Updated: 2016-01-05
Packaged: 2018-05-11 21:44:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,733
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5643034
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bellafarella/pseuds/bellafarella
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Anonymous said: Last year of high school. Ian has never said a word and everyone thinks that is mute. Mickey is the new student. The teachers put Ian near Mickey because in his old school he was a model student. They become best friends and they sign up at the same college. At Ian's birthday, Mickey tells him that he loves him and for the first time in his life Ian speaks and tells him that he too loves him. Did you like it?</p>
            </blockquote>





	More than Words

**Author's Note:**

> This took so long holy shit. Hope you like this!!! :)

Ian is so bored and tired of school. That could just be because he’s one of the smartest kids in class. He feels like everyone is so behind in everything, but he’s just ahead in everything. The shitty south side public school system won’t do anything about it though so Ian’s stuck where he is with a bunch of imbeciles for students and teachers.   
  
He’s just sitting in class zoning out of his math, he can afford to not listen. He knows he’s going to ace everything anyways, he has a perfect GPA score so far. He also feels like he can zone out cause it’s not like anyone will ask him a question. They all know he doesn’t talk.   
  
He’s zoning out until someone is knocking on the door. They open the door and he sees that it’s the school principal. “Sorry to interrupt your class, Mr. Banks, but we have a new student in our school and he is in your class,” Principal Arys says.   
  
Ian finally sees the new kid behind the principal. He comes further into the class and Ian can’t help but notice how good looking he is. Damn. He’s shorter than he is, has dark hair and piercing blue eyes, and looks thick as fuck.   
  
Principal Arys continues, “This is Mickey Milkovich.”   
  
Mr. Banks says, “Hello, Mickey. Why don’t you have a seat over there,” pointing to an empty seat. There’s some people absent so there’s a few empty seats. Mickey goes to the back and sits in an empty seat next to Ian. He crosses his arms over his desk and puts his head down looking across at Ian. He eyes him before closing his eyes.    
  
When the bell rings, Mr. Banks asks for Mickey and for Ian to see him before leaving. Ian’s confused but goes to his desk anyways. Mr. Banks waits until everyone is gone and it’s just the three of them. He says, “So, Mickey, according to your transcripts, you are having difficulty in most of your classes.”   
  
“The fuck are you getting at?” Mickey asks the teacher.   
  
“I’d like for you to sit with Ian in class and for him to help you out. You’re in all of the same classes and Ian is our brightest student,” Mr. Banks informs.  
  
Ian’s shaking his head ‘no’ to Mr. Banks but he says, “Ian, this will look good on the reference I will write for your College applications…”   
  
Ian sighs. He does want to get a full ride to University to get the fuck out of this hellhole and away from everybody. He complies, nodding his head.   
  
“Great, thank you, Ian,” Mr. Banks says. Ian just rolls his eyes. His teacher continues looking at Mickey who’s looking at him. “Mr. Milkovich, just so you know, Ian is mute. However that does not take away from his excellence. We all think he’s a genius.”  
  
Ian groans interrupting his teacher, making Mickey snort. “Okay, okay,” Mr. Banks says, “You can leave now.”  
  
Ian turns and heads out the door. He looks back and sees Mickey following. He catches up to Ian and says, “So, genius…” Ian groans again and Mickey laughs. “Where’s the lockers?”  
  


* * *

  
It’s been three months since Mickey’s started at this new school. He hates the school and the people; he hates everything apart from Ian Gallagher.   
  
Ian’s basically his tutor since he’s helping him in every class (other than math, he doesn’t need help in that, just concentration), however they became friends quickly.   
  
They have to spend this time together studying but they also now spend time without studying. As friends. Ian’s quickly become his best friend, and he’s become Ian’s. Ian doesn’t have any other friends. He spends all of his time at home studying or hanging out with his siblings. Now that Mickey’s here he spends a lot of time with him.  
  
They hang out at Ian’s studying, or watching movies, playing video games, or getting high.   
  
Like today. They head to Ian’s after school and are up in Ian’s bedroom smoking a joint. It’s too damn cold to do this outside. The cold Chicago winter, not being friendly this year.  
  
They’re sitting against the wall under the window, passing the joint back and forth between them. Mickey blows smoke out above his head, sending it out the window. He passes it back to Ian and asks, “So… what happened that you don’t talk? I mean, if you wanna let me know…”   
  
They either don’t communicate in words or Ian will text him back a response or write it down. Sometimes Mickey will text him too, so he doesn’t feel left out, and they’ll just sit next to each other texting for hours.   
  
Ian just shrugs his shoulder and doesn’t reach for anything to explain further to Mickey. Mickey knows to drop it, Ian doesn’t want to explain.   
  
Mickey nods in response, knocking his shoulder into Ian’s. Ian grins at him and passes him back the joint.   
  
Mickey finishes the joint and tosses it out the open window before closing it. He moves to lay down, his head in Ian’s lap.   
  
Ian has his arms up in the air, staring down at Mickey, not really sure what to do. He sees Mickey look up at him. He lowers his arms, and puts one of his hands over Mickey’s chest. He feels how fast his heart is beating and smiles because that’s how fast his own heart is beating.  
  


* * *

  
Ian is getting so frustrated of Mickey. He hates when they study together. That’s a lie. He loves it because it means he gets this extra time with him where they’re studying.   
  
He’s pointing hard at the book, showing Mickey what to do. Mickey just groans and says, “This shit is too fucking hard, man.”  
  
Ian keeps pointing at it, the answer is right there. Mickey says, “Stop fucking pointing, I don’t know what you’re trying to fucking say! God, I wish you would just fucking speak!”  
  
Mickey’s quiet after that and Ian stops what he was doing. He looks down and tries not to get upset about what he just said but it still hurts. His siblings always say that to him but immediately regret it. He knows they really wish it though. Mickey takes it back instantly like he knew he would. “Shit, I didn’t mean that. Fuck, Ian, I’m sorry,” He says taking Ian’s face in his hands to make him look at him.   
  
Ian shrugs his shoulder and removes Mickey’s hands from his face. He looks down at his notebook and writes down, _the answer is right there, that’s why I was pointing, jackass._   
  
Mickey chuckles at that and looks at Ian who’s smiling back at him. They go back to studying, all the while Mickey regretting blowing up at Ian, and Ian trying not to be hurt by what Mickey said to him.  
  


* * *

  
Ian knocks his knee against Mickey’s. They’re laying on Ian’s bed, just hanging out. It’s now New Years day, and they just watched the ball drop on TV. They’re pretty drunk right now, and Mickey was so close to sleep when Ian interrupted him. He looks at his phone letting him know to pick up his own cell.  
  
Ian: **You applying to College?**   
  
Mickey lets out a laugh/snort. He’s too lazy to text so he just says, “Nah, man. Not like I’d be able to get in anyway.”  
  
Ian: **Sure you could. Your grades are already so much better. You should apply with me, get out of this shit hole…**   
  
Mickey looks at Ian and studies him for a beat. He sighs and says, “Yeah, okay, but don’t get your hopes up.” How can he say no to that face?  
  
Ian grins at him making Mickey laugh and roll his eyes at him. Ian leans up on his elbow and reaches over Mickey to put his phone down. His chest is pressed up against Mickey’s, and all Mickey can think about is how fucking close Ian is to him and how badly he wish he could do something about it.  
  
Ian moves back over Mickey to lay back down against the wall, now on his side facing Mickey. Mickey’s on his back, he looks to Ian and can’t take the eyes he’s giving him right now so he turns over, his back to Ian. He closes the light near them so they are now in the total darkness.  
  
Mickey’s close to sleep again but is woken once again when he feels Ian’s arms wrap around his waist. He nuzzles his face in the crook of Mickey’s neck and breathes in a long breath before sighing out.   
  
Mickey brings his hand to rest against one of Ian’s over his stomach, and interlaces their fingers together. He can feel Ian smiling in his neck and smiles back to himself in the dark, letting the comforting heat of Ian soothe him into sleep.   
  


* * *

  
They’re back at school after the holidays and Ian reminds Mickey about applying to Colleges.   
  
“You’re serious about this?” Mickey asks him.   
  
Ian nods his head and grins at him. Mickey sighs and says again, “Alright, don’t get your hopes up.”  
  
Ian rolls his eyes. They fill out their applications and send them in. They applied to the same schools. NYU, UCLA, and University of Chicago because of it’s proximity to home (aka his siblings) for Ian. The other two because Ian’s always wanted to live in either New York, and California because of it’s nice weather for Mickey.   
  


* * *

  
Spring is coming and that means so is Ian’s eighteenth birthday.   
  
Ian told him about the party his sister is throwing him at the Alibi not too far from where they live. Mickey told him that he’d definitely be there.  
  
Mickey’s trying to find a birthday gift for Ian but can’t seem to find anything worthy to get him. Over the past six months, they became the best of friends. Mickey knows so much about the other boy, but not a lot of major things, because Ian can’t tell him. He could in text or writing but he just won’t. Mickey thought about asking one of his siblings but he felt like if Ian wanted him to know he would tell him himself.   
  
Throughout these months of being Ian’s friends, he’s also been trying to get rid of these feelings towards his best friend. Feelings other than just friendship.   
  
They usually hang out alone and lately whenever they are alone, they’re always touching each other in someway. Whether it’s one of them laying their head in the others lap, or them sitting so close that their legs are touching, or one playing with the others hair (they like to do that a lot). These things just make Mickey like Ian more and more and not in the friend way.   
  
He tries to ignore those feelings around his best friend but it’s just so hard to, literally. Ian’s the hottest guy he’s ever seen, as well as the sweetest. It’s hard to not get a boner when he’s around him and he’s constantly touching him, or when they’re spooning in bed when they sleepover.   
  
  
Mickey finds something to give him even though he thinks it’s horrible and heads to the party.   
  
Ian grins at him when he enters the bar and Mickey makes his way over to him. They hug briefly before Ian’s pouring him a beer from their pitcher.   
  
  
After a while of drinking and people singing horrible karaoke, Mickey says into Ian’s ear, “Want your gift now?”  
  
Ian looks into Mickey’s eyes, searching. He nods and follows Mickey outside where they can be alone.   
  
“If you hate it I can get you something else…” Mickey says as he hands Ian a book. It’s not wrapped or anything, just a book. He lights up a cigarette and starts to smoke it as Ian takes the gift.   
  
He turns it over and sees that it’s a book on how to learn sign language. Ian looks at it before looking at Mickey. He says, “I figure, if you wanted to learn sign that we could do it together so that we have a new way to talk you know? So you don’t have to text or write all the time…”  
  
Ian looks back down at the book so he doesn’t cry. He can’t believe Mickey did that for him. Mickey says, “You hate it, don’t you? Fuck, sorry, I didn’t mean it to be insulting or anything.”  
  
Ian looks back up and shakes his head ‘no’. Mickey nods and sighs out in relief. “Okay, good, cause I really didn’t know what to get you that would like show you how much I care about you and shit like that.”  
  
Ian looks at him, eyes wide. What’s Mickey saying?   
  
Mickey tosses his burnt out smoke to the ground and mutters ‘fuck it’ before looking back up at Ian and taking a step closer to him. They’re inches apart. Mickey says, “I love you, Ian. You’re my best friend and I don’t want to ruin that if you don’t feel the same way but I had to finally say something…”   
  
Ian runs his fingers through Mickey’s hair, moving his hand to the back of Mickey’s neck, pulling him in closer. He crashes his lips to Mickey’s, kissing him softly. Their lips move against each other sweetly, before Mickey parts his lips and Ian slips his tongue inside.   
  
Ian pulls back, leaning his forehead against Mickey. He says in the softest voice, “I love you too, Mickey.”  
  
Mickey pulls back further and looks at Ian in shock. “You can… you can talk?”  
  
Ian nods and says, again softly, “I just don’t like to…”  
  
Mickey smiles at Ian and kisses him again. Ian pulls back after a minute or so, completely out of breath, and getting way harder than he should outside of the bar his party is happening at. “We should go back inside,” Ian says breathless.  
  
“Yeah, okay,” Mickey says. He steps away from Ian and tries to regain control of himself. He adjusts himself in his jeans and sees Ian smirk but do the same. They laugh and head back inside.   
  
Back at the party Ian doesn’t go back to not speaking, totally surprising everyone.  
  
When they’re about to ask him why he’s speaking again he just looks at Mickey and so they all do. They see the love in Ian’s eyes as he looks at him and takes his hand into his. They know it’s all because of Mickey.   
  
Fiona makes a toast. “To Ian, we love you so very much, and are so proud of you. Keep being who you are and you will do great things. And to Mickey, the man who got my brother to speak again. You will forever be apart of our family. Happy birthday, Ian!”   
  
They all cheer and keep drinking, all yelling a ‘happy birthday’ to Ian. Ian grins at Mickey and Mickey can’t help but smile back at him, leaning in quickly to peck him on the lips.   
  
  
Later that night, they’re back in Ian’s tiny bed, laying down facing each other.  
  
Ian says quietly, “I stopped talking around the time Carl was a couple months old. My mom fucked off again, my dad went off on a bender because of it, and we were now five and we had no parents. I didn’t know what to do. Fiona was so young taking care of us all, I didn’t know what to do to help. I felt like I didn’t have a voice anyway so I stopped talking, thinking that maybe if I wasn’t a problem it would be easier for her to take care of us.”  
  
“So you haven’t spoken in fourteen years?” Mickey asked.  
  
“Yeah, about,” Ian says. He seems so comfortable speaking now, even though he hasn’t spoken almost his whole life.  
  
“But you spoke for me,” Mickey says looking into his eyes.  
  
“You’re worth it,” Ian says back. He puts his hand over Mickey’s, keeping them together up between their chests. Mickey interlaces their fingers, bringing the back of Ian’s hand to his lips and kissing it.  
  
Mickey is worth it to Ian to speak. If anyone was going to get Ian to speak again it was going to be Mickey, and Mickey couldn’t be more happy to be the one to do that.   
  


**Author's Note:**

> Make my day, leave me kudos and comments :)  
> Mwaaa <3
> 
> http://bellafarella.tumblr.com/


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